1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high protein, low lactose quick energy nutritionally-balanced snack which is fortified with vitamins and minerals and to a method of making the snack.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been a new awareness for the need of eating proper foods to assure consumption of all the necessary vitamins and minerals as specified in the recommended daily allowances disclosed by the U.S. Government.
In order to help meet nutritional necessities, nutritional bars were introduced which provided a portion of the minerals and vitamins, and incorporated carbohydrates to yield quick energy when consumed. However, many of these nutritional bars contain milk products from which lactose intolerance stems. Other problems with prior art bars result from the fact that cooking is required to achieve shelf stability or shape integrity. For example, vitamins A, B, C and D become unstable and disintegrate upon cooking, resulting in a bar of reduced nutritional value.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,819 teaches a protein fortified food bar composed of several baked crisp wafers stacked one above the other with a creamy filling between them. The creamy filling contains added vitamins and minerals. Each serving provides 25% of the recommended daily allowance of high quality proteins, vitamins and minerals. The caloric content is about 200 to 250 calories per serving.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,843 discloses a food product which contains a homogeneous distribution of caloric and proteinaceous requirements. The food piece contains a continuous external phase of hydrophilic film former, water, and edible humectant. The external phase encapsulates an internal phase of fat globules. The dispersion is stabilized by refrigeration or molding followed by drying.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,828 discloses a protein fortified food product for use in survival situations which includes 26 to 32% non-fat dry milk solids, sugar, chocolate flavor, and methyl cellulose. The vitamins and minerals for the food product are packaged separately from the food product.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,574 discloses a high protein wafer-like baked piece containing sufficient carbohydrate, protein, and fat to provide a balanced diet. The vitamins can be added during the creaming stage or to the creamed mixture. Water is used as the chief dough lubricant.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,799 discloses a high protein chocolate snack containing 30 to 50% by weight chocolate obtained by adding caseinates and peanut butter to a mixture of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and cocoa butter at a temperature of between 80.degree. F. and 100.degree. F. The peanut butter is first added to a hot mixture of sugar and corn syrup which is 305.degree. F. The resulting peanut crunch mixture and the caseinates are added to the melted chocolate phase and mixed. The resulting product may be molded or extruded. Vitamins which are compatible with the ingredients of the snack, it is disclosed, can be added.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,112 discloses a nutritional food bar which contains a binder comprising a discontinuous phase of fat globules encapsulated by a continuous phase of water and a hydrophilic film former. Modifiers, such as lactose, can be added to the film former, it is disclosed. The product is formed by molding at pressures of from about 25 to 1000 p.s.i.
The present invention provides a low moisture shelf stable nutritional snack which can be produced by extrusion without cooking, which can supplement one's dietary intake with 25% of the recommended daily allowance of all of the vitamins and minerals set forth in the recommended daily allowances by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and which yields instant energy. The snack exhibits shape integrity in spite of its low moisture content and uncooked or unbaked state. The snack has a minimum amount of milk products so persons with milk allergies can also benefit from the product. Further, it has pleasing textural and taste characteristics and an overall sense of freshness and moistness.